Steve Kirk

BIOGRAPHY

Steve Kirk, Flexure’s Accounting Team Guide was born and raised in Bellingham, WA and grew up in a small family business.  Growing up and working in the family business at a young age lead him to study accounting at Montana State University where he earned an undergraduate and masters degree in accounting.  He chose accounting, because he knew combining real world operational experience with an accounting degree would give him a full rounded experience to apply to the business world.

BACKGROUND

After college, Steve returned to Bellingham to help his father run the family business, a lumber and hardware store.  Taking a larger role in the family business exposed him to the difficult decisions which come with owning, managing and wearing the many hats of a small business.

In 2008 during the housing crisis, the family had to make the difficult decision to close the business.  While it was a hard decision, it was a good experience in understanding the emotional toll it can take on the business owner to go through the process of closing a business…but also realize the doors that can open.

Steve earned his CPA and took the role of Controller at Dawson Construction soon after closing the business.  While at Dawson he lead the implementation of a sophisticated ERP system, worked closely with project managers on project accounting and workflows, assisted with HR, implemented tool/equipment tracking & billing, and oversaw the accounting department daily tasks.

Four years after joining Dawson, Steve was approached with an opportunity to continue to expand his experiences and took the role of Controller for Bellingham Marine Industries (BMI).  BMI had operations and projects in 20 states and 10 countries.  Steve worked closely with division GM’s and staff not only in accounting, but operations.  He expanded the use of software systems to increase operational visibility, make people more efficient, and provide better information to the company.  Steve worked with international partners and bankers to ensure BMI maintained positive relationships around the world.

Then came the opportunity Steve had been looking for all his life, to work closely with business owners to help them achieve their goals in building successful companies, creating jobs, and making a difference in their communities.  Steve joined Flexure in June 2019 and has enjoyed being able to use his unique understanding of operations and accounting to provide a value-added service to business owners and their teams.  Building relationships through confidence, compassion, and understanding is key to the partnership Steve has with clients.